A march in Kennewick raises awareness for closed memorials in D.C.

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KENNEWICK, Wash. -- Veterans are feeling the affects of the government shutdown nationwide, including here locally. They marched today to bring attention to the closed memorials in D.C.

"I'll get emotional, it's important, it's very important we acknowledge what we have and this is doing it," said Veteran Larry Nelson.

He is a veteran of the Korean Conflict. He was drafted in 1953 and served two years. He says the experience taught him a lot. It taught him to appreciate our country.

"You give a little of your life, and your hopes, and everything, and this is proof that it's worth it."

He came all the way from Umatilla to march today.

Organizers say the walk is meant to bring attention to the monuments that are closed in Washington D.C. as the government shutdown approaches day 14.

"I'm just hoping to spread awareness and bring our community together...a lot of veterans in their areas get overlooked and forgotten, so I think this is a good way for the community to come and commemorate the veterans of their area," said Organizer Kelsey France.

She spread the word of the march by Facebook and fliers. She has a long line of military in her family. She feels it's important to pay respect.

"Our veterans fought for these rights and they've earned their right to be able to visit their own memorials and by it being shut down, it's kind of disrespectful because it's not so much owned by the government, it was earned by our veterans," said France.

"I can imagine what these people, then they were in the war, I can just stare in their eyes and imagine what they had just went through," said Matthew Smearman.

Many of them say, they don't see a reason for the monuments to be shut down.

You know, if it was a true dollar cost that you could identify, but it's a pretty good excuse I suppose, for the public," said Nelson.

But with or without the monuments, they felt the support today.

The veteran's march in D.C. was not as orderly as it was here. Frustration over the government shutdown boiled over to the white house fence.

Protesters angry over barricades set up at veterans memorials took those barricades and dumped them in front of the north lawn of the White House.

Park police, some in riot gear, came out to separate the protesters from the fence.

The rally started at the World War II Veterans Memorial before moving to the Lincoln Memorial and finally the White House.

The protesters have since moved elsewhere.

The National Park Service closed off access to parks and monuments across the nation after the government shutdown.

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